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Botanical Name : Zanthoxylum nitidum
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Zanthoxylum
Species:Z. nitidum
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Synonyms:
*Fagara hamiltoniana (Wall.) Engl.
*Fagara nitida Roxb.
*Fagara warburgii Perkins
*Zanthoxylum hamiltonianum Wall.
*Zanthoxylum hirtellum Ridl.
*Zanthoxylum torvum F. Muell.
Common Name: Shiny-leaf prickly-ash. In Assamese it is known as Tez-mui and Tejamool. It is also called Liang mian zhen
Habitat : Zanthoxylum nitidum is native to South China, southeast Asia, and northern Australia. It is one of thirteen Zanthoxylum species found in India.It grows in shrubby thickets.
Description:
Z. nitidum is a “morphologically variable” prickly shrub. Sometimes it is an evergreen Climber.The leaves are made up of several leathery oval leaflets which are up to 12 by 8 centimeters (5 by 3 inches) in size. It is aromatic. Flowers, which occur in the leaf axils, have yellow-green petals a few millimeters long. The fruit is a red-brown follicle.
It is in leaf 12-Jan. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required)The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Cultivation:
The plant prefers a good deep well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or semi-shade. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Flowers are formed on the old wood.
Propagation:
Seed – best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Stored seed may requires up to 3 months cold stratification, though scarification may also help. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible. Germination should take place in late spring, though it might take another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Root cuttings, 3cm long, planted horizontally in pots in a greenhouse. Good percentage. Suckers, removed in late winter and planted into their permanent positions.
Chemical constituents:
The plant contains the chemical compounds nitidine, toddalolactone, and chelerythrine.The essential oil, at least from some varieties, contains limonene and geraniol.
Medicinal Uses:
Z. nitidum is one several species of Zanthoxylum that are used in traditional medicine in various parts of the world.The root of zanthoxylum nitidum is anodyne, antiphlogistic, carminative, depurative. The plant is analgesic and antirheumatic. The resin contained in the bark, and especially in that of the roots, is powerfully stimulant and tonic.
Other Uses:
Z. nitidum is used as an insecticide and a piscicide. In India and Nepal, the fruits are used as a condiment. It has been added to toothpaste to enhance its efficacy.
Known Hazards: Plants are slightly toxic
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_nitidum
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Zanthoxylum+nitidum
